Mathematical  Culture and Thought

Mathematical Culture and Thought

The Ignorance of Bourbaki

Document Type : Translation

Author
Post-Doctoral Researcher at Albert- Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany
Abstract
The author criticizes Bourbaki’s approach to fundamentals of mathematics, logic and set theory.  He believes that despite being already aware of the impact of Gödel’s proof on Hilbert’s program of formalism, the group deliberately chose to ignore it, so far as they even refused to mention Gödel and address his work.  He then points out the difference between arithmetic and geometric aspects of mathematics, and suggests that Zermelo’s set theory, which was acknowledged by Bourbaki, suffices only for the geometric part whereas the arithmetic side needs to rely on Zermelo-Fraenkel system of axioms.
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Mathias, A. R. D., The ignorance of Bourbaki, Math. Intelligencer, 14 (1992), 4-13.
Volume 41, Issue 2 - Serial Number 71
December 2022
Pages 129-150

  • Receive Date 25 August 2016
  • Revise Date 02 May 2017
  • Accept Date 06 November 2017
  • Publish Date 21 January 2023